Trump Regime: We are deporting all farm workers, and making people on Medicaid work in fields instead

[IrishBubbaLiberal]

Bizarre Wacko Trump Regime…

Trump admin's new talking point on the Big Beautiful Bill: we're going to deport all the farm laborers and make people on Medicaid work in the fields to earn their health insurance.


Brooke Rollins on farm laborers: "There will be no amnesty. The mass deportations continue, but in a strategic way. And we move the workforce toward automation and 100% American participation, which with 34 million able-bodied on Medicaid we should be able to do fairly quickly."

The Trump admin's new talking point on the Big Beautiful Bill: we're going to deport all the farm laborers and make people on Medicaid work in the fields to earn their health insurance.

— Aaron Reichlin-Melnick (@reichlinmelnick.bsky.social) 2025-07-08T14:18:16.834Z

Also… caregivers to sick, elderly, or very young relatives. They want to know why we aren’t pumping out more “American” babies (we all know which Americans they mean) while suggesting that anyone not employed for a wage is not doing any work whatsoever.

So that’s why all the signs in the northwest orchards say “looking for workers” in Spanish only? Because they’re waiting for the white Medicaid recipients to respond for the call to pick fruit in the 100 degree sun? Do people still smoke crack? Because that’s gotta be what this bitch is smoking.

— SheiSho (@xxriotgrrrrrlxx.bsky.social) 2025-07-08T14:25:44.572Z

Also… caregivers to sick, elderly, or very young relatives. They want to know why we aren’t pumping out more “American” babies (we all know which Americans they mean) while suggesting that anyone not employed for a wage is not doing any work whatsoever.

— Molly Miller (@arghlita.bsky.social) 2025-07-08T15:32:45.287Z

[Jit423]

1. Guess what angry Medicaid workers can do to our food supply nt

[CaptainTruth]

11. I'm more interested in what they can do to Trump & the GOP.

[Layzeebeaver]

20. they will BECOME the food supply!

SOYLENT GREEN IS MADE OF...

Sadly, it might not be a joke to some in the regime.

[sop]

2. Brooke Rollins' job, just like everyone else who works in the Trump Misadministration, is to say cruel and stupid

things to please their cruel and stupid boss, knowing full well he's watching and listening, realizing they'll be fired if their public statements aren't sufficiently cruel and stupid.

[ananda]

3. Truly insane.

I hope Magats don't need farm food.

[Ray Bruns]

21. Isn't all food "farm food"? Unless you're eating Soylent Green.

[GiqueCee]

4. The evil is exploding...

... like a mushroom cloud of mindless malice. Well, this is what you assholes voted for. Hope you're happy. Wallow in it now, because your day of reckoning is fast approaching.
Someone who knows how should dox ALL of these vicious fuckers, but start with Nosferatu Miller.

[Justice matters.]

34. The assholes believe (and repeat on 'socials') everything they spew.

Because they are as ignorant, and stupid enough to believe that unrealistic propaganda will work.

They have no alternative solution when it will be clear it will not work and they will have to pay (a lot) more for farm products (coming from abroad and taxed with stupid self-impoverishing TARIFFs + scarcity as in supply & demand basic economics).

[GiqueCee]

43. And yet, they are allowed...

... wander unsupervised, and to breed indiscriminately. We're all doomed.

[malaise]

5. Slavery by any other name

That is all

[FalloutShelter]

14. One million percent right, Mal.

[malaise]

23. Evil

scumbags

[Justice matters.]

38. It will not work because nobody will show up.

Cities in the south (less 'freezing') will be filled up with homeless people begging for food (and spare change to eat).

[scarletlib]

6. That's slavery--outlawed since 1865

[haele]

46. And slavery is what those who helped write P2025 are pushing out loud now...

You aren't working or on call daily for 12 to 16 hours in a skilled profession? You weren't born into a wealthy, connected family or haven't turned yourself into an "attractive and articulate" mouthpiece or suit? You aren't an influencer on several platforms?

Slacker.

Go work in the factories or in the fields with 60% of the rest of the useless eaters that otherwise need to be culled out in this country. Y'all aren't worth a roof over your heads, let alone a paycheck, if you aren't performing the way your betters expect of you...

[Ping Tung]

7. Is she promising to "release the Kraken" if anybody refuses her orders?

[Blue Full Moon]

8. Never changes

?si=o-BEvpP0XoZrgg9T

[malaise]

29. As usual Sarah Cooper nails it

Rec 😀

[Farmer-Rick]

9. Out of the nursing homes and into the fields

The temperature in the tomato fields here in East TN today is 97F. Tomatoes are in season now. They love the hot weather and taste best picked vine ripe. About 65% of all tomatoes are hand picked.

Just where we want to put our Nursing Home patients. If they were able bodied they wouldn't being in nursing homes. But let's ignore that and put em to work picking your tomatoes.

How utterly stupid can you get?

Let's face it, If those old people in nursing homes can't afford to be there without Medicaid. Pedo Trump and his humpers don't care if they all die.

Here's hoping you and your grand parents were born into one of those filthy-rich families. Because we all know you can never save enough to cover unpredictable life spans and rising healthcare costs.

[Irish_Dem]

31. Just tell the old folks it is an outdoor exercise class.

Yes the rich families will be fine.

The rest of us not so much.

[Grim Chieftain]

10. Just when I think he can't become more evil

he finds another tier of hell. When I read this, I thought it was The Onion. Dear God, is this truly our lives? Is he going to get away with all of it?

[Justice matters.]

42. Looks like nobody shows up to end his crime spree.

I mean, nobody has the 'power' to do that in 2025, even when he breaks any law he wants.

[dalton99a]

12. Yes. Work sets you free - or in the original language: "Arbeit macht frei"

A banner showing an image of US President Donald Trump hangs on the side of a US Department of Agriculture building in Washington, DC, on May 16, 2025. (Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty Images)

[dixiegrrrrl]

35. Mustache needs to be on that.

Last edited Tue Jul 8, 2025, 10:11 PM - Edit history (1)

Jus sayin'

[GiqueCee]

47. Golly whiz...

... that malevolent glare certainly inspires confidence in our shattered institutions, doesn't it?

[Trueblue Texan]

49. Someone needs to project horns on his head and fire mixed with shit coming out of his mouth.nt

[Johonny]

13. When this fails . . . They will blame Biden

[MineralMan]

15. Brooke Rollins does not know a single person on Medicaid.

She is going to be very surprised to learn that most people on Medicaid are not able enough to do that kind of agricultural work. Not a chance. And, those who are able enough will simply not turn out to do that work. They just won't.

You know who will? People from other countries, where life is even harder than it is here. People who are glad to work very hard if they are actually being paid to do so. Where they come from, that kind of paid work does not exist.

But Brooke doesn't know anyone like that anyhow. They're probably, you know, not clean people. You wouldn't want them to come near you. Ick!

[dixiegrrrrl]

16. This is a joke,right?

RIGHT..??

We have a friend with Stage 4 cancer who is getting treatment only because he has Medicaid to pay for it.
Down here in the rural South, Medicaid is the only health insurance available to unemployed black families. The Fed.Gov.pays 60% or more of Medicaid costs, states cover the rest.
Because historically decent jobs were denied to black families,the need for Medicaid is high.

Racism created the jobs problem and now racism is trying to destroy the thin lifeline of medical services for the poor.
The push to close rural hospitals, who depend on Medicaid, is part of the attack on the poor.

[Gimpyknee]

17. A "strategic" way?

HaHaHaHaHaHaHaHaHaHaHaHaHaHaHaHaHaHaHaHaHa!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Wiz Imp]

18. She's just pulling that 34 million figure out of her ass.

As of March 2025, 71,258,215 were enrolled in Medicaid. Approximately 42% of Medicaid beneficiaries are adults, 36% are children, 10% are disabled, and 10% are age 65 or older. So if we remove the disabled, children & elderly from the total, we get just over 31,000,000 "able bodied" adults. But approximately 64% of adult, non disabled Medicaid beneficiaries are currently employed (most of them with full time jobs). That means at most, 11,000,000 so called "able bodied" adults on Medicare who don't currently have a job.

But that doesn't give any clue as to why they aren't currently employed. A significant number of Medicaid recipients are responsible for the care of children or other family members. Many additional individuals are unable to work due to health conditions. Some Medicaid recipients are enrolled in educational programs. Some other individuals may be between jobs or facing other barriers to employment, such as lack of transportation or childcare. Ultimately, there are very few "able bodied" adults on Medicaid who don't have a job but are in situation where they actually could work. This is why work requirements for Medicaid and other programs in the past have always proven disastrous - ending up costing even more money.

Data at these links:
https://www.medicaid.gov/medicaid/program-information/medicaid-and-chip-enrollment-data/report-highlights
https://www.aha.org/fact-sheets/2025-02-07-fact-sheet-medicaid
https://www.healthcaredive.com/news/nearly-two-thirds-medicaid-beneficiaries-employed-work-requirements-kff/739596/
https://healthlaw.org/top-10-reasons-why-work-requirements-are-bad-for-medicaid/

[yardwork]

33. Thank you for providing the data.

[Strelnikov_]

36. 4 mill is probably an upper limit

“Notably, there are only roughly four million able-bodied adults without dependents on Medicaid who work fewer than 80 hours a month, per Matt Bruenig at the People’s Policy Project.“

As you allude to, closer to zilch is the realistic number.

[Iris]

48. Wouldn't they also need to live near the crops?

The state of Georgia has had the work requirement for some time now and the paperwork to make it happen makes enforcement impossible.

So, we'll just watch food rot in fields.

[NBachers]

19. I'd say "Let's start with Republicans," but I don't want any of those slimy assholes touching my food.

[Duncan Grant]

22. Aren't we out of malevolent sociopaths yet? Where are they all coming from?

For the uninitiated — this is class warfare.

[chouchou]

24. Now Now..this might be a good thing

When the injured and poor fall in the suffering-hot fields, the injured and poor will have insurance!
Boy, those crafty republicans are way ahead of us...

[IronLionZion]

25. Soylent Green is becoming real

[republianmushroom]

26. Trump Regime has some living and learning

to do and it is about to happen.

[Katinfl]

27. Can anyone please explain to me how in the world this could possibly be enforced?

I mean…..really? This is some cruel and hateful rhetoric, but in the real world…….how would it be imposed? Same crazy crap coming from this administration for shock value. I honestly think they say the most bizarre things off the top of their head just to see the reaction and get media coverage to divert attention from the other shit they have going on. Unbelievable.

[LetMyPeopleVote]

28. Trump's agriculture head expects '34M able-bodied on Medicaid' to do farm work

These people are nuts

This is how far out of touch these people are ....

Trump's agriculture head expects '34M able-bodied on Medicaid' to do farm work www.rawstory.com/brooke-rolli...

— 🦋❄️🍁Baron🍁❄️🦋 (@baron333.bsky.social) 2025-07-08T15:25:37.619Z

https://www.rawstory.com/brooke-rollins-medicaid-farm-workers/

Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins argued that 34 million "able-bodied adults" who are at risk of losing their Medicaid benefits should be expected to take the jobs of migrants on farms.

During a Tuesday press conference, Rollins was asked about President Donald Trump's pledge to give farmers a "pass" when it came to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids.

"There will be no amnesty," Rollins insisted. "The mass deportations continue, but in a strategic way. And we move the workforce towards automation and 100% American participation, which again, with 34 million people, able-bodied adults on Medicaid, we should be able to do that fairly quickly."

[Beck23]

30. Sounds like slavery.

[Diamond_Dog]

32. 34 million able bodied workers on Medicaid

Does that include children….

[questionseverything]

37. This " person " was confirmed in the senate 72-28

So lots of democrats responsible for her too

[moondust]

39. To be "managed" by

SWIGO (Straight White Incompetent Guys Only) sipping fruity liqueurs out on their superyachts? It's hard werk, dammit!

[Prairie Gates]

40. All political movements that have forced people into agricultural labor have ended well

[vanessa_ca]

44. I'm speechless! -eom

[dixiegrrrrl]

45. Guess they don't know/remember what happened when we tried that in 1965

https://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2018/07/31/634442195/when-the-u-s-government-tried-to-replace-migrant-farmworkers-with-high-schoolers

[tanyev]

50. They think someone just strolls into a Medicaid office and says, "Medicaid plz"

and the bored office workers twiddling their thumbs say, “Yes, of course! Would you like that in 50 or 100 dollar bills?”

People who desperately need it wait months and months to get approved.

[Pinback]

54. And when/if they do get approved,

all Medicaid does is pay a portion of the insured’s medical bills, as I understand it — just like Medicare. The “slacker” doesn’t get a cash payment!

These idiots act like it’s some kind of fucking giveaway program that gives people money for free.

[bucolic_frolic]

51. I'm going in the denim overalls business. Every gramps picker will need 2 pair. /nt

[wolfie001]

52. Death sentence for many Americans in their fifties

Overweight, diabetic, bad hearts, bad feet, arthritis. This is republican cruelty on tRUMPIAN steroids. All this shit from an obese imbecile who's never worked a day in his whole life. How fucking ironic.

[NickB79]

53. Unless you grew up on a farm, you have no idea what farm work is like

It takes a certain mindset to do this kind of work, usually instilled onto farm kids from their parents.

I'm not exaggerating when I say there are farm jobs that a large number of Americans, no matter their physical abilities, just can't and won't do even for high pay. Working all day long, in the blazing heat and soaking humidity, ending the day sore and aching, just to do it again the next day? Or, sloshing through 6" of manure to shovel out literal tons of shit from a dairy or hog barn?

You can offer $50/hr and still not fill all those jobs permanently with city and suburban-raised Americans.

[LetMyPeopleVote]

55. Maddow Blog-Agriculture secretary suggests Medicaid recipients can replace immigrants as farmworkers

If the Trump administration is counting on Americans on Medicaid replacing immigrants on farms, officials should probably start working on a Plan B.

Agriculture secretary suggests Medicaid recipients can replace immigrants as farmworkers.
If the Trump administration is counting on Americans on Medicaid replacing immigrants on farms, officials should probably start working on a Plan B.
www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddo...

— hateGOP (@hategop.bsky.social) 2025-07-08T21:36:08.484Z

Link to tweet

https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/maddowblog/agriculture-secretary-suggests-medicaid-recipients-can-replace-immigra-rcna217572

Soon after, Team Trump reversed course, and then reversed course yet again. As recently as last week, the president talked about developing a temporary pass for immigrants who work on farms, which was the opposite of what his “border czar” said a week earlier.

This week, as Reuters reported, the moving target moved again:

U.S. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins said on Tuesday that there will be ‘no amnesty’ for agricultural workers from the Trump administration’s efforts to deport all immigrants in the country illegally. The farm sector has warned that mass deportation of farm workers would disrupt the U.S. food supply.

To be sure, the Cabinet secretary’s comments were newsworthy, though if recent history is any guide, a prominent White House official, including possibly Donald Trump himself, will contradict Rollins very soon.

But of particular interest was something else the agriculture secretary said.
https://bsky.app/profile/did:plc:4llrhdclvdlmmynkwsmg5tdc/post/3lthhwchvtw2h

Link to tweet

“I can’t emphasize this enough,” Rollins said. “There will be no amnesty; the mass deportations continue, but in a strategic way; and we move the workforce toward automation and 100% American participation, which with 34 million able-bodied adults on Medicaid, we should be able to do fairly quickly.”

In other words, as the agriculture secretary sees it, there’s no need for concern about farmers losing out on immigrant labor because those workers can be replaced thanks to “automation” and Medicaid beneficiaries......

But what I find myself stuck on is Rollins’ quote in the context of the Republicans’ domestic policy megabill. GOP policymakers approved sweeping and unprecedented cuts to Medicaid, arguing that Americans who lose coverage can simply get jobs that offer health insurance.

It’s against this backdrop that the secretary of agriculture suggested that Medicaid beneficiaries — whose coverage is at risk — can replace immigrants as farmworkers, brushing past the inconvenient fact that farmworkers tend not to get health care coverage.

All of which is to say, if the administration is counting on Americans on Medicaid replacing immigrants on farms, officials should probably start working on a Plan B.